Feed mechanism for roller-mills



(No Model.)

W. M. RAND.

FEED MECHANISM FOR ROLLER MILLS, &c. No. 339,468.

Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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UNlTED STATES PATENT EricE.

WALTER M. RAND, OF OLNEY, ILLINOIS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR ROLLER-MILLS, 80C.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Fatent No. 339,468, dated April 6, 1886. Application filed July 7, 1885. Serial No. 170,859. (No model) To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, YVALTER M. RAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olney, in the county of Bichland and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Roller- Mills and other Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In roller-mills, middlingspurifiers, and various other machines in which the material is to be fed in wide thin streams, a hopper is used, generally provided with a feed-roller at its bottom, and having an adjustable valve arranged at a distance from the periphery of the roller, determined by the amount of feed required.

My invention relates in part to the construction of said valve and to the devices whereby it is adjusted, and in part to mechanism whereby an agitation of the material in the hopper is obtained analogous'to that given the shoe by the damsel in the old burr-mills, and in carrying it out said valve is suspended within the hopper and made vertically adjustable by means of screw-bolts set in overhead supports. This vertically adjustable valve is formed with a hinged lower section spring-pressed toward the periphery of the feed-roll, but restrained at any given distance therefrom. The suspended valve and the screws by which it is vertically adjusted are combined with a tension bolt or bolts passing through the side of the hopper and ball-j ointed to the valve, whereby the latter may be ad- 3 5 justed in and out toward or from the feed-roller to bring the lower edge of the inner section nearer to or farther from its periphery. The feed-roller is provided with eccentric journals, whereby the material in the hopper is agitated by the irregular movement of the periphery. The eccentrically-journaled feedroller is combined with a hinged flap or'cut- 0d valve at the rear of the hopper to bar the escape of the material, and a hinged feedvalve at the front. The hinged feed-valve has feet, which rest against the periphery of the eccentrically-jonrnaled feed-roller, or are struck thereby as the longer radius of the roller comes around, whereby the feed-valve is pressed away from the roller and the feedpassage kept open, and various other combinations and details of construction are employed either as principals or accessories, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

, For the purpose of explaining my invention, it will be sufficient to illustrate and describe it in connection with a set of rolls such as employed in the roller-mills of the present date; but, as already stated, I do not int-end thereby to limit myself to its use upon this class of machines alone.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, in sect-ion, of a feed-hopper embodying so much of my invention as relates to the adjustment of the valve, provided with an ordinary feedroller, and arranged in proper position over a set of comminuting-rolls. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, partly broken away to expose certain of the operative devices. Fig. 3 is a like side elevation of ahopper embodying my invention, including eccentric feed-roller and the hinged rear valve; and Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof.

A represents the hopper, which is placed directly over each set of rolls to be fed in the usual manner, and B, in the first two figures, any ordinary feed-roller at the base of said hopper. At the top of the hopper, almost above the feed-roller, but somewhat obliquely therefrom on the discharge'side, is placed a bridge strap or support, 0, which receives adjustingscrews D, shouldered to rest upon the strap, but at their lower ends screwthreaded to take into eyes (I projecting from the inner side of a suspended valve, E, that extends from end to end of the hopper parallel with the wall thereof and fits snugly against the end boards, yet so as not to have appreciable frictional contact therewith. Tension-bolts F pass through threaded eyes in the front side of the hopper, which permit a limited swiveling actiomand areball-socketed in or have a tumbling connection with the valve, so that while the latter receives its vertical adjustments from the set-screws in the bridge-strap it may receive in-andout adjustment-s toward or from theperiphery of the feed-roller by means of the tension-bolts. At a pointbeneath the tension-bolts the valve is divided longitudinally and receivesalower section, jointed thereto by spring-hinges f, which tend to press it constantly into line with the upper section until checked by the meeting of the adjacent planed edges of the two, and also under certain circumstances, as when, owing to the roller being longitudinally grooved or fluted, this is desirable, to press it against the periphery of said roller but whether resting upon the periphery or away from said hinges permit it to yield when a lump or other mass of more than average size is carried against it.

I have found that by giving the screw-eyes by which the valve is suspended a length of, say, about five inches in a hopper of the ordinary size, a sufficient equilibrium can be reached to retain any amount of feed, provided said eyes are made adjustable, so that their length may be reduced from or increased to the limit named. Such adjustment may be secured by means of clamping-nuts 9, applied to the threaded shanks of the screw-eyes, and it acts on the same principle as moving the sliding weight on a scale-beam. This in many cases enables me to dispense with the tension-bolts, although they may be retained as auxiliary to such construction.

The material in the hopper will feed better if constantly agitated, and for this purpose heaters or stirrers have been heretofore placed upon a driven shaft running parallel with the feed-roll and immediately above it. The action of this, however, is to grind and tumble all the particles of material or middlings and against each other, unnecessarily abrading them and producing an abnormal quantity of dust. A feed-roll has also been employed having endwise reciprocations imparted to it, which is said to slightly agitate the material, and thus lighten it sufficiently for thepurpose; but to obtain a more perfect agitation than afforded by the latter device, while avoiding the undue abrasion caused by the former, I have devised the eccentric feed-roll H, (shown in the last two figures of the drawings.) This may be turned true and round, as indicated, with eccentric-journals h, or it may be oblong in crosssection, giving the effect of a double eccentric or acting twice in one revolution,the

journals being placed at the intersection of the two diameters.

The hopper and feed-valve employed may be of the same general construction, and the same adjusting devices used as just described; but the rear of the hopper will have a hinged flap or valve, K, pressed elastically by means of a spring, k, against the periphery of the roller, so as to cut off the escape of material on that side. This flap or cut-off valve is shown as pressing upon the side of the roller about opposite its horizontal diameter, but it is obvious that it may rest upon the top at a short distance from the feed-valve, so as to be lifted against the mass of material in the hopper as the longer diameter of the roller or eccentric comes around. Instead, however, of the specific feed-valve heretofore described,

some other construction may be employed, provided that the valve or the lower section thereof is hinged and pressed toward the periphery of the roll as required by the action thereof. If the roll has longitudinal feed-grooves, the edge of the valve may rest upon its periphery along the whole length; but as it is usually desired to have a slight aperture between the two to allow the material to be fed in a long thin sheet, and as the valve will be set to such adjustment in reference to the shorter axis of the roll, I propose to supply it at its ends with feet k, projecting sufficiently to touch the periphery at such point, since otherwise the feed of the material may not force the valve back quick] y enough when the long axis comes. around; These feet may be and it will probably be found advisable to make them adjustable. They will constantly press against the periphery, and will cause the roller in its revolutions to keep the valve positively at the precise distance required. Instead, also, of employing the screw-threaded tension-bolts heretofore proposed, other bolts may be substituted for them, as shown in said latter figures, fixed or hinged to the side of the hopper or to some other stationary support and ball-socketed to the valve, and having a nut, L, upon their serewthreaded thinr bles between said side and the valve,whereby a coiled spring, Z, encircling the spindle between the nut and the valve may be adjusted in stress to cause the lower edge of the valve to press more or less forcibly against the roll.

I claim 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a feed-hopper, of a valve suspended therein, a bridge or support across the top of the hopper, and screws passing therethrough and taking into eyes on the Valve, whereby the latteris adjusted vertically.

2. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with a feed-hopper, of a valve suspended therein, screws set in overhead supports, whereby it is vertically adj ustable, and screws passing through the side of the hopper to a universal connection with the valve, whereby it is adjustable in and out toward and from the feed-roll.

3. The combination, substantially as here-' inbefore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of a feedroll, a vertically-adj ustahle valve, a lower section hinged to said valve, and springs which tend to close said lower section toward the feed-roll.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of a feedroll, a vertically-adjustablevalve, a lower section hinged to said valve, springs pressing said lower section toward the feed-roll, and

tension-bolts passing through lateral supports and acting against the main section to adjust it toward the feed-roll.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a feed-hopper, a valve therein, overhead supports for said valve, adjustable screws suspending the valve from said overhead supports, tension-bolts passing through the sides of the hopper and acting upon the valve to adjust it toward and from the feed-roll, and ahinged lower section to the valve, adjacent to the feed-roll, which is pressed toward said roll by springs.

6. In combination with a feed-hopper, an eccentric feed-roll placed at the dischargepoint thereof, substantially as hereinbefore Set forth.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a feedhopper, of an cecentric feed-roll placed along the bottom thereof, a cut-off valve at the rear of the hopper pressing agalnst the feed-roll to prevent the escape of material at that point, and a hinged feed-valve at the front of the hopper.

S. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of an eccentric i'eed-roll, a hinged cut-off valve along the rear ofthe hopper springpressed against the feed-roll to prevent the escape of material at that point, a hinged feed valve at the front of the feed-roll springpressed toward said feedroll, and adjusting devices to move said valve toward or from the roll while permitting it to yield from any given adjustment.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of the eccentric fced-roll, the hinged valve pressing against it at the rear to prevent the escape of material at that point, the verticaliyadjustable feed-valve, and the hinged section along the foot of said valve spring-pressed toward the feed-roll,

10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of the eecentric feed-roll, the cut-off valve pressing against it at the rear to prevent the escape of material at that point, the vertically-adjust able feed-valve, the tension-bolts whereby said valve is moved in and out, and the hinged section along the foot of said valve springpressed toward the feed-roll.

11. The combination, substantially-as here inbelore set forth, in a feed-hopper, of the eccentric feed-roll, the cutoff valve closing the escape of material at the rear of said roll, the hinged feed-valve spring-pressed toward the feed-roll, and the feet pressing against the periphery of the roll.

12. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a feedhopper and feedq'oller, of a feed-valve suspended from overhead by means of eyes which project from its inner side near the top, whereby the foot tends to swing inward against the feed-roll to establish equilibrium.

13. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a feed-hopper, of afeed-valve suspended from overhead by means of supports which project from its inner side near the top, and means whereby said supports may be adjusted in length to shift the center of gravity of the valve.

14. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a feedhopper, of a feed-valve suspended from overhead by means of supports which project from its inner side near the top, means whereby the supportingpoint may be shifted toward or from the body of the valve to change the center of gravity,

and means whereby said valve may be raised and lowered.

XVALTER M. RAND.

Witnesses:

JOHN KUs'rnR, GEORGE P. DAVIS.

from said feed-valve 0 

